The New Face of a Booming Industry in the Grove

What’s with all the skincare services in Coconut Grove? A Spotlight reporter explores the Grove’s wellness sector to find out who’s got skin in the game, and what their survival tactics are in the face of growing competition.

Nearly every day 25-year-old Patricia Ayes commits a chunk of time toward leisurely strolls through Coconut Grove.

A resident of Dadeland, Ayes says her “mental health walk” is an essential ritual that began two years ago because, as she puts it, “my life revolves around wellness.”

Ayes’ priority – and passion – is a trend so powerful among Gen Z’s and millennials that it’s fueling a notable bright spot in the economy. 

Dubbed the “wellness industry,” this behemoth business sector includes a vast number of products and services marketed as “self-care,” including fitness centers, natural beauty products, eyelash extensions and medical spas (med spas for short), offering Botox, and “fillers” for all four cheeks, among other things.

It’s easy to spot the industry’s impact on Coconut Grove. Polished storefronts that promise a good sweat, a great glow, and fewer lines (the word wrinkles is a no-no in the wellness world) are popping up everywhere. 

For tourists, one hotel lures guests with “a bath experience… designed to assist you with your personal wellness goals,” which, admittedly, sounds easier than going for a run.

From boutique gyms and sound bowl therapies to superfood smoothies, wellness options in the Grove are multiplying like cats. When it comes to brick-and-mortar retail space, though, the biggest investment appears to be in skincare. 

According to this reporter’s online inquiries – plus boots-on-the-ground research – fourteen retailers here specialize in skincare services, specialty products, or both. Many opened during the past few years. That’s about equal to the number of comparable services in Coral Gables, a community with nearly twice the population.  

What’s drawing so many skincare companies to the Grove? 

As one business owner put it, “All you need to do is look around. It’s beautiful, it’s walkable and the best schools are here. You know the demographic is perfect.”  

To some, the field looks crowded – even overcrowded. So, how do these establishments – with prices upwards from $125 for a 30-minute treatment – expect to survive?  

A Diverse Group of Players

Dr. Alicia Barba, who founded SkinCeuticals SkinLab at Cocowalk, believes her professional background as a dermatologist provides her business with a competitive edge. “We call our clients ‘patients,’” she said, “because when they walk in the door seeking a solution, what they really need is medical care, right?”  

Her staff of aestheticians are trained accordingly, she said, adding, “They need to understand a dermatologist’s role and what’s within their scope and what is not.”

SkinLab’s atmosphere is bright, airy and squeaky clean, with meticulous displays of an enormous product line.  When I dropped in recently, young staff members were warm, engaged, and informative. 

Around the corner on Oak Street, Sana Skin Studio evokes an equally positive, but very different vibe. Here, the Zen-style decor is tranquil, and the lighting is warm; aestheticians are called “healers,” and clients are called “guests.”

As manager Sabe Mazzi explains, “The word sana means to heal…the whole premise is to heal, starting from, you know, your heart, to your space, to your intention, to your skin.” 

Following a skin analysis, Mazzi said, healers lead “a grounding ritual” that sets the stage for more than a facial.

“What we are trying to encourage is for you to live your life a bit slower, kinder, soulfully, mindfully… we want to become part of your monthly essentials,” she added.

When Oscar Molina, a Miami area aviation engineer, first heard about the holistic approach at Sana Skin Studio, he was skeptical. But he agreed to go with his wife, “mainly to support her… she was always into skin care, and I thought, let’s see what happens.”

By the time his hour-long facial ended, his skepticism had vanished. 

As he put it, “I don’t know what ‘glowing’ means, but my skin felt refreshed.” Molina and his wife signed up for monthly programs, and soon, he said, dark sunspots that had been plaguing his complexion were gone. 

When I stopped by Azala Skin Clinic on Main Highway, the entrance eluded me, as it’s tucked upstairs in an office building behind Chug’s Diner. Manager Christina Rodriguez explained that the discrete venue was a strategic decision. 

“Absolutely intentional,” she wrote in an email. “We want Azala to feel like a sanctuary, a skin wellness destination that feels peaceful and private.” 

Rodriguez described Azala’s services as a blend of “cutting-edge science with overall well-being, using medical-grade products and minimally invasive procedures that fit seamlessly into your lifestyle.”

Unlike other skincare companies I spoke with, Azala lists treatments for urinary incontinence, stubborn fat deposits, and glute enhancements on its website.

Nachi Skincare, which opened last month on Virginia Street, stays true to its name, offering only facials. Owner Nachi Glick told me her signature service, the “Omakase,” was inspired by her family heritage.

“In Japanese, omakase means ‘I leave it up to you,’” she said, adding that she handles each treatment herself based on the needs of the client. 

Glick launched her business in Manhattan back in 2008; Coconut Grove is her second location. She told me the most gratifying aspect of her work is the personal connections it fosters. When a New York-based client tracked her down in Miami, she said, “it was such a joy to pick up where we left off, and it’s a testament to the bond we created.”

Survival Tactics

Industry experts say that kind of allegiance is critical to long-term survival, which is why companies here and across the country offer memberships and other loyalty programs. As the American Med Spa Association explains, clients who sign up for these programs “show significantly higher loyalty rates… even in the face of financial constraints.” 

Silva Haroutunian, who launched Silviana’s Spa Skin Care on Virginia Street back in 2005, believes her package deals are one reason she’s been able to stay in business for so long. “The results are much better if people come one or two times a month, and a package helps them do that at lower price,” she said.

Also important, experts say, is marketing to the most lucrative demographics, and for many skincare businesses in the Grove, local families are the target.

“A mom is impressed with the results of her facial so she brings her child in for acne treatments,” said one owner, echoing her local competitors. 

That focus could change soon as men in their twenties and thirties are emerging as more valuable customers. According to a recent McKinsey & Company report, this group now sees beyond soap and water as a means to healthy skin and is willing to spend more on products and services than older generations.  

An example is twenty-four-year-old Grove resident Paul Yermish. His current routine includes a facial cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen, but, as he ages, he said, he’ll invest in other products and facials “for the relaxation and the actual improvement in the quality of skincare. I have dry skin and so keeping my skin hydrated is of the utmost importance.” 

The TikTok Challenge

Regardless of customer demographics, a continuing challenge skincare companies face is disinformation.

As Rodriguez, the manager at Azala, described, “There is an overwhelming amount of noise out there, especially with TikTok trends and influencers presenting themselves as skincare experts. As providers, we spend a lot of time educating patients that achieving healthy, radiant skin is not about copying a viral video…”

Another challenge: Critics who claim that “wellness services” don’t always merit that description. A heated opinion piece in the publication Medium in May of last year called the wellness industry “a profit-driven machine that often prioritizes monetary gain over genuine health benefits.” 

Sabe Mazzi, the manager at Skin Studio, has a different view. 

“Cosmetic treatments like Botox and fillers can be framed as “wellness” treatments because of their documented positive effects on mental and emotional health,” she wrote in an email, adding, “They may be viewed as temporary fixes for low self-esteem, but targeting a long-standing insecurity may provide significant emotional relief.”

Future Prospects

Today’s common thirst for a dewy complexion and a round, ample derrière is unquenchable, and scientific advancements are making those wishes, and others, more attainable. That, in turn, is creating a vortex of investment, placing more skincare and other services firmly on the horizon.

Here in the Grove, full-service spas are planned at two condominium developments, The WELL on Tigertail Avenue, and Ziggurat on Grand Avenue. At least one hair salon, Ugo di Roma on Florida Avenue, now offers facials, and others I spoke to said they are hoping to do so soon. The main challenge, one salon manager told me, is “…finding a qualified facialist who has available hours.”

Industry observers say that with so many competitors fighting for loyal clientele, some will not survive. John Farr, managing director at Columbia West Capital, a leading investment bank to wellness companies, is among those who predict a shakeout.

As he explained in an email, aestheticians are critical to both the quality of service and brand image, and therefore, “The winning companies will be those who can keep their top performers happy.” 

Meanwhile, could a downturn in the economy stifle interest in skincare services deemed by some as extravagant?  The short answer: No.

According to the McKinsey report, consumers are more likely to cut spending on clothing, entertainment, and home decor than they are wellness services.

Sana Skin Studio customer Oscar Molina is a case in point. He said it would take something far more drastic than a recession for him and his wife to drop their membership. As long as he’s working, he said, the monthly facial is non-negotiable.